Americans are still signing up for Obamacare, despite President-elect Trump’s promise to repeal it soon after he takes office.
More than one million people selected plans for 2017 on the federal exchange in the first 12 days of open enrollment, according to the Department of Health & Human Services. That is 53,000 more than in the comparable period a year ago.
“The American people are demonstrating how much they continue to want and need the coverage the marketplace offers,” said Health Secretary Sylvia Burwell.
The pace picked up after Trump was elected last week. More than 300,000 people selected plans in the three days after the election.
The figures include about 250,000 new consumers and more than 750,000 current enrollees renewing their coverage.
Trump has vowed to dismantle Obamacare as one of his first acts after inauguration on January 20.
However, he can’t eliminate Obamacare on Day One with the stroke of a pen. Killing the massive program that provides insurance to 20 million Americans would take time to work its way through Congress. Plus, there are many popular provisions that Trump has indicated he would retain in some form, such as covering those with pre-existing conditions.
